Born in Paris October 19th 1983, to drummer Stephen McCraven and Hungarian folk singer Agnes Zsigmondi, Makaya McCraven has internationally toured, performed and recorded with jazz greats such as Bobby Broom, Archie Shepp and Charles Neville. In high school, Makaya was co-founder of the band Cold Duck Complex. They released 3 records and toured throughout the Northeast, opening for major national acts and gaining a loyal fan base. Cold Duck Complex became a campus favorite at the the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where they opened for 50 Cent, Rhazel and Reel Big Fish. As a music major at the University, Makaya played in the University Jazz Orchestra and earned 3 Downbeat student awards. Continue reading →

The first release as a group, the “Paris Jazz Underground” (a collective of jazz composers and improvisers) was established in 2009 and comprises six of the most talented musicians on the current Paris jazz scene. Following the initiative of the “Brooklyn Jazz Underground” the group founded it’s own record label (which has given birth to nine other cds), performed extensively including a 2010 tour of Brazil and created a buzz in the specialized French media. Continue reading →

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has announced that Audra McDonald has signed on as the official host of the landmark PBS series Live From Lincoln Center. McDonald will host seven broadcasts from December 2012 through spring 2013 including “The Richard Tucker Opera Gala” on Thursday, December 13, and the New York Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve Gala, “One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch,” on Monday, December 31. She will also perform in the New Year’s Eve live telecast. Continue reading →